Human behavior is the result of attempts to satisfy certain needs, wants, ideas, or whims.

• A. wants
• B. needs
• C. ideas
• D. whims

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that motivation comes from fulfilling internal requirements we sense as deficits or needed states. Needs are the fundamental drivers because they represent essential conditions for survival and well-being, which push us to take action to restore balance. Wants are desires that go beyond what’s necessary, ideas are mental plans or beliefs, and whims are impulsive, often short-lived impulses. In this sense, behavior is most consistently explained as a response to needs: when a need is unmet, it motivates actions aimed at satisfying that deficiency. For example, hunger (a need) motivates finding and eating food, whereas a fancy meal (a want), a plan about what to eat (an idea), or a sudden snack on a whim don’t consistently capture the underlying drive that motivates the action.